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German gas supply concerns mount for coming winter
CGTN
A valve wheel on pipework at the Radeland 2 compressor station for the European Gas Pipeline Link (EUGAL), a downstream pipeline for Nord Stream operated by Gascade Gastransport GmbH, in Radeland, Germany, March 11, 2022. /CFP

A valve wheel on pipework at the Radeland 2 compressor station for the European Gas Pipeline Link (EUGAL), a downstream pipeline for Nord Stream operated by Gascade Gastransport GmbH, in Radeland, Germany, March 11, 2022. /CFP

Germany, which relies heavily on Russian gas, has major concerns over securing supplies for next winter and is doing all it can to secure alternatives, Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said Saturday.

"If we do not obtain more gas next winter and if deliveries from Russia were to be cut then we would not have enough gas to heat all our houses and keep all our industry going," warned Habeck.

Supplies are "not yet completely guaranteed," Green Party member Habeck told Deutschlandfunk radio.

He added that the government of Europe's biggest economy was preparing for the possibility of shortages "which we hope can be avoided."

Habeck later Saturday headed for Qatar, one of the world's three biggest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which European states are increasingly counting on as a means of weaning themselves off Russian gas in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Half of Germany's LNG imports come from Russia.

Habeck, also minister for climate affairs, has already recently visited another gas powerhouse Norway, as well as current top global exporter the United States.

This weekend he is also due to make a stop in the United Arab Emirates.

Habeck also said Friday it was imperative to ensure a steady stream of supplies but stressed the country must speed up its transition from conventional natural gas to green hydrogen.

(With input from AFP)

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